The Feeding of the Five Thousand

After the apostles gathered together to Jesus, they reported all they had done and taught. Jesus instructed them to come away to a desolate place to rest, as many people were coming and going, leaving them no time even to eat (Mark 6:30-31). They departed in a boat to a desolate place by themselves. However, many people saw them leaving and ran there on foot from all the towns, arriving ahead of them. When Jesus went ashore and saw the great crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things (Mark 6:33-34).

When the hour grew late, his disciples approached him and suggested he send the people away to the surrounding countryside and villages to buy food, noting the desolate nature of the location. Jesus responded by telling the disciples to give the people something to eat. They questioned him, asking if they should go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread. Jesus asked how many loaves they had and told them to go and see. When they found out, they reported they had five loaves and two fish (Mark 6:35-38).

Jesus commanded the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. They sat in groups of hundreds and fifties. Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, said a blessing, and broke the loaves. He gave them to the disciples to set before the people, and he divided the two fish among them all (Mark 6:39-41). Everyone ate and was satisfied. The disciples gathered twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. The number of men who ate the loaves was five thousand (Mark 6:42-44). Regarding the presence of Philip and Andrew, the text does not say they were present by name, mentioning only the apostles and disciples.